Sheet-metal wheel construction.



APPLICATION FILED NOV-Z2, I9I3.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

Ill/I NITED STATES PATENT orrron JoHNn; STRIETELMEIER, or CINCINNATI, onro, ASSIGNOR TO THE IDEAL WHEEL COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

V SHEET-METAL WHEEL CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

Application filed November 22, 1913. Serial No. 802,349.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. STRIETEL- MEIER, a citizen of the United States, and re-- siding at Cincinnati, inthe county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Sheet-Metal Wheel Construction, of which the following specification is a full disclosure. I This invention deals with a resilient wheel, and it proposes a special hub construction consisting of few compactly related elements efi'iciently supporting sheet metal spoke-elements, and it is also concerned with a rim oonstruction that will be light, simple and well-adapted to cooperate with the resilient spoke elements.

Other objects will be i'npart obvious from the annexed drawings and in part indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of this invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of parts, and in the unique relations of the members and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof; all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to comprehend the underlying features thereof that they may embody the same by the numerous modifications in structure structionthereofr Fig. 2 is a section taken 'on the radial plane indicated by line 22 of Fig. 1, showing other features thereof,

and Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryperspective View of the hub-element showing the annular slotted rib; for retaining Y the spokes as well as a portion of the spoke-spacer. i

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a hub-element which will be annular in form and internally configurated to be suitably mounted in accordance with the necessities of use. This hub-member A in this instance provides an external peripheral seat 1 that here assumes a form having a uni form diameter from end to end and preferably as long axially as possible, so as to permit the mounting of wide spoke-ele' ments. This periphery l constitutes a seat for a spoke-spacing member, as will be hereinafter described and it is provided with a flange-like annular portion 2 that rises or extends outwardly at one side of the seat 1. This part 2 has an annular rib 3 which preferably is V-shaped and extends laterally so as to overhang the seat 1, as shown. It is desirable that this rib be so located as to leave an annular portion 4 projecting radially beyond the rib 3, so as to conceal the edges of the spoke-elements up to the point of leaving the spoke-spacer. V V

The spoke-spacer is indicated by B, and it consists of an integral annular piece having a continuous base portion 5, which concentrically seatson the periphery 1 of the hub member, and which preferably is as wide as possible. In one of its annular sides'this spoke-spacer hasan annular groove 6 that has a form complementary to the rib 3, so as snugly to interfit with the same, and in its other annular side it has another annular groove 7 that similarly receives the rib of a retaining collar. At peripherally spaced intervals, a series of radial slots 8 are formed in the spoke-spacer B, which slots are preferably of such width as snugly to receive two fiat-wise spoke-elements as shown by Fig. 1, and these slots are preferably sufiiciently deep to leave room for considerable spoke material along the diagonal line 9 shown by Fig. 2, and the bottom edge of the slots '8 may ta-kea straight line, as indicated by 10. V

A retaining collar C is mounted in adj ustable relation with the hub-element A-in a suitable manner, as by means of the screwthreads 11, and it is located at the outer end of the spoke-spacer B and provides an overhanging rib 12, which'is contoured to interfit with the groove 7 in the side of the spoke- V spacer, and which preferably has a shape similar to the rib 3 of the hub-member.

The spokes preferred by this invention have a loop-like form, as shown by Fig. 1, and are composed of a forward and a rearward sheet metal spoke-element D and D curved in the plane of the wheel, and disposed edgewise thereto. These spoke-elements enter the slots 8 in pairs, and they have \f-shaped notches 13 cut in their outward edges to engage the rib 12 of the collar C and they may have similar notches in their other edges to engage the rib 3. To prevent turning of the parts with relation to the hub-member, it is proposed'to provide the rib 3 with suitable slots or notches in which one of the parts may interfit so as to be laterally restrained against movement, and in this instance, these- The rim F proposed by this invention preferably consists, of a single channel iron 16 having its external periphery suitably contoured to receive a tire, and whichis reinforced by'an inner concentrically related metal ring 17 having end flanges 18 bent.

concentrically to bear against theinner periphery of the ring 16 and welded to the same at the contacting points. This provides 7 an annular space 19 within which may be located at intervals bosses 20 for receiving the threaded ends of retainingboltsG. As

shown by Fig. 1, this inner'ring' 17 will pref- V erably be indented to form seats 21 for-the spoke-elements, which in this instance terminate in hook-shaped end portions 22 which are arranged in a reverse relation, as shown more clearly by the drawings;

'A yoke-shaped retaining block E has a channel 23 extending longitudinally, whichreceives the extremities 24 of the spoke elements, and on each side of this channel'there are ribs28 having acurved contour snugly interfitting within the pockets of the spring elements, as shown. Abolt G passes through a central radial aperture'in" the retaining block E and the hook-shaped ends of the spring-elements are cutaway, as indicated by 26, Fig. 2,'so as to enable'this bolt-to extend in operative connection with the boss 20, whereby it maybe tightened up to draw thebloc'k E adj ustably intobinding relation with thespoke elements.

"Without further elaboration, the." forei going will so fully reveal the gist ofthis in- Gopiesio'tithis patent may be obtained. for

vention that others can by applying current knowledge. readily adapt it for Various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of r the generic or specific aspects of this'invention,, and therefore such adaptations. should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency o the following claims. a

Having thus revealed my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 7 Patent of the United States A resilientlwlieel ofithe'nature disclosed V combining a hubanember; aseries of: re-- silient sheet-metal spoke-elements emerging from said hub-member a-nd eachterminating in a hook-shaped end-portion; a first sheetmetal flanged ring constituting a tire-retaining member; a second sheet-metal flanged ring concentric therewith and having its flanges secured to theinner periphery of the first ring; an internal threaded boss located between said'outer and-inner rings; a series of spaced blocks at the inner periphery of thesecond ring,:each having an integral'ribr like portioninterfitting within the pocket of its associated hook-shaped spoke-portion,

"and a bolt extending radiallyto secure a corresponding-block, said bolt having a screwthreaded engagement-with said' bossn V 2. A resilient wheel of the-nature disclosed an elongated central channel and elongated ribs-at each side thereof having curved'contours, a resilient flat spoke-element extending at one-side ofsaid block and terminating in a curvedend-portioninterfitting with the adjacent rib and havinga'bi-furcated end, a

counterpart spoke-element 'reversely arrangedin: similar relation with the other rib,

- a rim-member providing curved seats,vand

adj-ustable-means for urging said blocktoward said rim-memberto clamp's'aid spokeelements therebetween, said'mean's being in nested relation with the bifurcations in said spoke-elements.- V r 7 t 7 V In witness whereof, I hereuntosubscribe combining an elongated yoke-block having my name, as attested bytheltwosnbscribing Witnesses;

"Witnesses t ALBERTiENATHAN, OnrvnR-BqKarsnn; V

five cents each, by: addressingnthe :flommiss lqner of Ifatent's, Washington, 1L0. I

JOHN srR 'rnnMiiinR. 7 i 

